I am convinced that those in charge of the "Culture" of this country are clueless as to exactly what it takes from ground up to put on the "Greatest Show On Earth". Why else would a proposal for Carnival every THREE months be considered? As reported by the Trinidad Express:
SHOULD a proposal be made to have Carnival in this country every three months, Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, Winston "Gypsy" Peters, says he would welcome it with open arms.He said, "Carnival is the quickest developing thing" in Trinidad and Tobago and, as such, it should be utilised in the best possible way in order to boost this country's tourism industry.Peters made the statement yesterday, as he and Minister of Works and Transport Jack Warner made a tour of the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, where construction work is currently ongoing in preparation for next year's Carnival celebrations.
"We must not be coy that Trinidad and Tobago is the land of Carnival. And if we understand that Trinidad and Tobago is the land of Carnival, we have to use Carnival as a product to bring people to this country, which is what I have all intention of doing," Peters said."We must use it. Carnival is a business. That is what Carnival is. Carnival is what you use to bring people to your country. If we could have Carnival every three months, I am good. I am serious, because Trinidad and Tobago is the home of Carnival."
Peters said for now a temporary structure is being built at the Savannah and is expected to be completed by February 10 next year, adding that the first show at the venue—the Panorama semifinals— would take place on February 20. He said by early next year, a competition will be held where local architects could submit their ideas on how the permanent structure should be built. He said a Carnival museum will also be incorporated in the permanent structure. "In my own mind, I want this place to be a place where people would want to come. Not only for Carnival, but we also want to have a Carnival museum here where all these costumes from yesteryear, what we have now and the ones that are going to come on stream, can be put on show. We can have it here so that people from all over the world can come and see it. That is what is going to be here," he said.
He also again criticised the construction of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) building by the former Patrick Manning-led PNM administration, saying maintenance alone costs taxpayers approximately $40 million annually.
"NAPA was built for a specific purpose and I want to tell you that it was built to fulfil Mr (Patrick) Manning's ego of having CHOGM in a fancy place. We have to now find something constructive to do with that place. That place is a dark hole that people have to throw money in," he said.
Yes, we are quite aware of the fact that Carnival brings the tourists to Trinidad but did anyone stop to think that these tourists have to save , plan and budget to visit for Trinidad Carnival because of the expense and that it is ludicrous to think that they all have the disposable income to make this trip every three months? Not to mention that the average citizen in Trinidad and Tobago who participates in Carnival also has to fork out the equivalent of some people's monthly salary for a costume? How are any of us going to be able to support and afford a Carnival Culture every THREE months?
Carnival Bands put months of planning into each presentation, how is this going to work with Carnival four times a year? Reuse your costume? Make your own costume and come? What about the music? Is it now that Calypsonians, Steelbands and Soca Artistes have to make new music as soon as one "Carnival" is over or is this going to be a recycled and packaged Carnival on repeat every three months?
And add this quarterly Carnival to the Calender of Jazz Festival, Tobago Heritage Festival, Point Fortin Borough Day, Arima Borough Day, Great Fete and we will surely have to rename Trinidad the land of "fete and music!" because that is all we will be doing all year!
